Characterized slide calendar



Feb. 20, 1951 l w. LANG 2,542,633

CHARACTERIZED SLIDE CALENDAR Filed Nov. 1o, 194e 4 sheets-sheet 1 uma;

BY M l ATTO RN EY.

Feb. 20, 1951 w. LANG CHARACTERIZED SLIDE CALENDAR 4 sheets-sheet 2 Filed NOV. 10', 1948 f @n 5E INVENTOR. l/zffam Zand@ BY ,4M ATORNEY' Feb. 20, 1951 w. LANG 2,542,683

CHARACTERIZED SLIDE CALENDAR Filed Nov. 10, 1948 A4 Sheets-Sheet 5 ,e3 H '26)7 49 4a, 49 2 71 2.6 4

4Q y IHHH H HHHHW IHHHHHIHI WW INVENTOR. l'mllanj,

BY M I @y ATTORNEY.

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Feb. 2o, 1951 w LANG 2,542,683

CHARACTERIZED SLIDE CALENDAR Filed NOV. 10, 1948 v4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /GMTH FRMowEsAwasSsuTu |940 O Ow sAsATuTHsu FRasMowE |94| C) v 0TH su su wEFRMosA eaTuTH |942 O q 62 /QFR MoMoTHsnTusu swzm |943 02; fg

'OSATUWE sA Mom Tu 29 PR su |944 0 `OMoTHTHsuTuFRwE28sAMo 6" @Tu FR FR MowEsATH easuTu |946 G-\ l f @we sa sATuTHsu FR 28 MoWE |947 G-6 K OTR su Mo TH sATu su 29 wE FR |948 G/ l, 05A Tu Tu FR suwEMo 29TH 5A |949 O jd Osu WE wE sA MoTH Tu 2s FR su IQSO/O/ l 7 y @MoTHTRsuTu FRwEessnMo |95l/O i 01u FR sn Tu TH su FR e9 Mowe |952 O -Q JANUAR 3l DAY d if OTH su su WE FRMo sA eeTu 'm |953 O g/@FEBRUAR DAY 0 FR Mo Mo TH sATu su 28 wE FR |954 O MARCH 5| nAYs OSA Tu Tu FRsu wEMO 28TH sA |955 O @APRL 30 DAYS @su wETH su Tu FRwE 29 sAMo |956 O OTu FR FR MowEsATH assu Tu |957 O @we sA sA Tu TH su FR 2s-MowE |958 O 0TH su su we :RMO sA eeTu TH |959 O G FR Mo Tu FRsu we Mo 29 TH sA |960 C) AUGUST @319MB @su wEwE snMo TH Tu 28 FR su |95| SEPTEMBERsonAYsC) Omo TR TH su Tu FRwE 28 sa Mo |962 O OQTOBER smAYs E (DM/W31 nAYs i9 JUNE Q 3o oms @JULY 3| DAYS @Tu FR FRMo we sATH as su Tu |963 @NOVEMBER 3o DAYS OwE sA su we FRMo sn 29TT1TH |964 OFR Mo Mo TH sATu su 2a we PR |965 DECEMBER 31D^Y5 E @sa Tu Tu FR su ws Mo 28TH sA |966 @su we we sa MoTH Tu 2e FR su |967 Ono TH FR Rowe sATH assu Tu |968 @we 5A sA Tu TR su FR 2e Mo wE |969 0TH su su ws FR Mo sA 28111 TH |970 @FR Mo Mo TH sa Tu su 29W: TR 197| sATuwE sA Mom Tu 29 FR su |972 @no TRTHsuTu FRwE 28SAMO |975 G 40 @Tu FRFRMowEsATHesauTu |9740 G/ @WE 5A 5A Tu TH su FR ze Rowe |975 o JNVENTOR. O /l o A M MEX .approximately on the Figure 1;

Patented Feb. 2G, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEY 2,542,683 CHARACTERIZED SLIDE CALENDAR William Lang, Verona, N. J., assignor to The Bates Manufacturing Company, Orange, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 10, 1948, Serial No. 59,319

14 claims. 1

In general, the calendar comprises a month table upon which are indicated the days of the month, a day of the week strip upon which are printed or otherwise formed inscriptions indicating the days of the week, a month strip upon which appear the names of the monthsin proper sequence, and a year band which carries groups of numerals in proper sequence to represent a plurality of years, with which are associated` inscriptions representing the days of the week upon which fall the first days of the months of the corresponding year; and a prime object of the invention is to provide a novel, simple and easilyoperable construction, combination and compact arrangement of the month table, day of the week strip, month strip and year band.

'Another object is to provide a calendar or date nder of the character described which shall include a housing having a sight opening or window therein, and novel and improved means for mounting said month strip and said year band within said housing and for operating or moving said month strip and said year band relatively to each other to locate the inscriptions thereon selectively for exposure through said sight opening or window.

A further object is to provide in such a calendar novel and improved vmeans for mounting and operating the month table within said housing and for display of the inscriptions thereon selectively through said sight opening or window.

Other objects are to provide a calendar which .shall be relatively inexpensive in construction' endar constructed in accordancewith the invention;

Figure 2 is a central vertical longitudinal sec'.-

tional view of the calendar;

Figure 3 .is a transverse vertical sectional. view, plane of the line 3 3 of Figure 4 is a a similar'view; approximately on the plane of the line 4--4 of Figure 1; i

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view of the complete calendar, taken approximately onthe plane of the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a similar view, approximately on the plane of the line 6 6 of Figure 3;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary rear'elevational view .of portions of the month table, the month table back and the month table holder, showing the manner of assembling andconn'ecting said parts; Figure 8 is a similar view of said parts-from the front thereof; Y i

Figure 9 is a frontl'elevational view 'of the 2 :f5 Figure 10 is a similar view of the month table in extended or dat condition; 1 Figure 11 is a iront elevational view ofthe month strip i'n extended or at condition;l

Figure 12 is a transverse vertical sectional View, approximately on the plane of the line I2-I2 of Figure 11, and Figure 13 is a front elevational view of thev band in extended or at condition. v

Specifically describing,r the illustrated yembodiment of the invention, the reference character'A designates the housing of the calendar which may be conveniently formed of sheet metal'or a synthetic plastic composition and includes a base or bottom wall I having upstanding front and rear flanges 2, end walls 3 having inturned anges 4, and a cover 5 which forms in eiect the top, front and rear walls of the housing and .is held in position between the bottom wall I ,and the flanges t. The cover may be shaped as de,- sired, but as shown, provides upwardly and rearfwardly or inwardly inclined front and rear walls 6 and l, respectively, and a convex arcuatertop wall 8. The front wall 6 is provided with a sight opening or window 9 in which, preferably, is a transparent sheet I0 of suitable material, for example, glass or a plastic' composition'. which is disposed between the front wall and an inverted U-shaped window frame II having an upper cross-piecelz extending across the window opening in spaced relation to the upper edge thereof, and side'piec'es I3 disposed along the vertical edges of thewin- ,dow opening Aand secured to the front Wall in any suitable manner as by spot welding alon'gthe .edges of said side pieces. Mounted on the crosspiece I2 as by adhesive and disposed betweenl it and 'the transparent 'sheet vIll is a day .oflthe Week Strip B which has letters thereon repre- ',senting the days of the. Week, Sunday to Saturday, inclusive, arranged in proper sequence. V.. Also extending across the window openingso las to -be lvdisplayed therethrough, is the month rtable Ciwhich comprisesa piece of exible material, for example, thin paper, and which has a A backing.sheetdll.formed of suitable material, such as linen. `The-month table C and said backing are'secured to and operable by a holder lformed of any .suitable material, preferably metal, and generallydesignated D. This holder isshown as comprising a body portion in the form ofa 'piane I5 underlying the backing Sheet la, als .best ,shown in Figures 3, '7 and 8, andhavi-ng anop.-

erating arm It projecting through openings-in the backing sheet and the .month table.y Tabs I7 and I8 are formed at about the middle of the `length of the upper and lower edges of the month table, respectively, and the lower tab I'l is foldedv around the edge of the plate I5 and the backing strip. The lower edge oftheplate I5 has earsrl fear extending through holes 2D in the tab l1 and clinched against the said tab at, the rear of the backing sheet. The Vupper tab. Iii is folded downwardly around the upper edge of the backing sheet and has an opening 2l through which passes an ear 22 on the upper edge of the plate I5 which is clinched over the tab at the rear ofthe back-v ing sheet. The operating arm` I 6 projects through a slot 23 between the lower edge of the trans,- parent sheet ID and the upper edge of the front, flange 2 of the housing, and, has a finger-piece 24 whereby the holder can besli'dhorizontally so as to move the month table across the window opening.

.For guiding. the month table I have shown a guide frame E formed.` of any suitable material `andbest shown. in Figures 2 and 6, said frame comprising a straight main portion 25 disposed inspacedand approximately parallel relation to the rear wall of the housingy and having' protuberances 26 on its rear side to engage the inner surface of said rear wall. At the ends of the main portion 2,5.are guide arms 2,1 that extend forwardly in spaced relation to the end walls of they housing and: have perforate ears 28 that are'secured to the bottom walls of one of, the

housings by clinched tongues 29. The lower portions' of the endsof. the monthtable andthe backsheet are, disposed in sldable relation to the lnnersurfaces of thegude arms 21 andthemain portion` 2,5 so as to positively guide the month .table when it is slid in eitherdirection by the operating finger-piece 2,4, as best shown in Figure 5.

'Cooperating with the guide frame E is a front guideframef behind. and supporting the. month tttole Q, and secured.. toA the bottom wall ofY the housing by integral perforate ears 3 0 through which are clinched' tongues 3'IV on the bottom wall of the housing. Said frame F has upwardly' eX- tending side arms 32 at the upperV ends ofj which are` ngers 33 overlying` the upper edges of the transparent. sheet I0., the window frameV I3 and the month table C.

The month table has on its face numerals34 .representingv the days off` the, month which are 4arranged in vertical columns horizontally spaced in accordance with the spacingof the indications 3,5 ofthe days of the week on the' daystrip- B; and

withthis construction itA will' be observedthat by rganuall manipulation of the, operating arms. I6 through the linger-piece 24thej month table may moved horizontally relatively tol the window 'opening and to the. day stripB so astolocateany slected vertical column orf the numerals 3AV in vertical alinement with and beneath any selected indication 35 on the day strip,

The month Strip G1 is formedY of' any suitable flexible materialv and has imprinted* or otherwise rformed thereon the names 36 of the months, said strip being mounted forY movement vertically behind the month table so as tozexposeA selectively the name of thevarious months through the window between the top of the, day stripv and the upper edge of the window openingas' bestlshown.

in,V Figure 1. For mounting and movingsthe month strip, a Spacer-guide 3,1 is mountednear the top 'heidi in contact therewith by guide lingers-39, one

end ofthe strip extending toward the rearvwall and" the other end extending downwardlyandforwardly behind the month table C and having at its lower end an eyeleted opening 4o through which projects a4 linger 4f on" an actuating arm 42 which is connected to an operating shaft 43 journaled in an opening in one end wall of the housing and having a knob or finger-piece 44 mounted thereon and accessible outside the housing. As shown, the shaft 43 has a portion that is polygonal in cross-section and which extends .through a slot` d5.` in the arm 42 that may be conveniently formed by stamping out a portion 4S of'the arm, as'shown in Figures 2 and 4. This portion 4B and the end portion il of the arm l2 snugly Contact with opposite sides of the polygonal portion of the shaft 3, while the edges of tlieslot 45' snugly engage the other sidesv of the sl'laft 43, as. vshown in Figure 4, so that said' arm 42 is constrained' t'ol rotate with the shaft.

With this construction. itwill be observed' that by' manually rotating.' thenger-piece 4i?, the arm 42 may be swung in an arc concentric with the axis ofrotation ofthe shaft 43 and thereby slide the month strip G longitudinally over the spacerguide 31. In order to more positively guide the month strip and the arm- 42, a guide element 48 that is preferably channel-shaped in cross-section is securedy to thebottom wall I of the housing with its side anges 49 vertically disposed, as best shown in Figures 2 andA 5. The upper edges ofthe anges 49 are concavely curved, asl shown in Figurev 3, and disposed in` vertically spaced relation thereto is a guidepl'ate 5'which is secured to the bottomr wall of the housing in any suitable manner, for example by an" integral arm 5II havingnotches 52' in its edges into which are clinched ears 53V that project upwardly from the bottom wall of the-housing. Themonth strip is threaded between said guide plate and the upper curved edgesY of the guide element48, and preferably the ar-m 42-has a pairof` lugs 54 which receive between them one of the flanges 49 of the guide element, thereby providing a positive guide for the swinging end of said arm. and for the month str-ip.

In addition tothe: names of the months, the

ymonth strip alsoz carries inscriptions 55 indicating the number of days in the corresponding months, except in thecase of February where the month strip has a perforation 56 to register with numerals51 1 on the -year strip H which represent the number ofdays in the month of February in respective.` years that., are indicated by the usual indicia.. i. enumerals 58'. The month strip also hasa plurality of.' apertures 59, one for each month, to register with symbols on the year striplH which .represent respectively the days of the week upon which-.fall the.` first days of the monthso'f the corresponding year, it being understood that the monthv strip is arranged in overlying relation to the year strip in juxtaposition; to the window opening :9;

The indiciaiI 5;*8'; oft the years are arranged in succession longitudinal-ly; of the year strip adjacent one-,edge thereof; and the symbols '6D' are arranged in horizontallines or rows in alinement with the corresponding'year'indicia 58, all as best shown in FigurelrB'. Similarly, the indications 5l ofthe days inthek month` of February for various yea-rsare` arranged: in thesame horizontal rows with the indicia58 of.' the correspondingv years. The year-band is' mountedfor movement behind themonth strip G, and the right-handv margin of the year strip bearing the year indications 58 extends beyond' the corresponding edge of the month strip so as to displaytheyear indications -December.

4attacca through the window 9 above the day strip B and beyond the right-hand edge of the month strip, as shown in Figure 1. The apertures 59 in the month strip also expose the symbols 60 on the year strip through the window above theday strip, the position of the exposure ordisplay depending upon the horizontal position of the respective apertures 59 which in turn, of course, correspond to the position of the symbol 60 on the year strip that corresponds to the day of the week on which falls the rst day of the corresponding month in a certain year.

For mounting and vertically moving the year strip, the longitudinal edges of the strip are formed with rows of perforations B2 to receive the teeth of sprocket wheels 63 that are mounted 0n a shaft 64 which has a cylindrically reduced portion 65 at one end relatively rotatably fitted in aV socket 66 in the operating shaft 43 for the month strip, and its other end fitted in a socket -v 61 of an operating shaft 68 which is journaled in an opening 69 in the end wall 3 of the housing in opposed and coaxial relation to the operating shaft 43. A finger-piece is mounted on the end of the shaft 68 that projects from the housing.

The ends of the year strip are fastened together, for example, adhesively, as indicated at 1l, and the year strip is mounted on the sprockets 63 in encircling relation to the shaft 64, as best shown iniFigure 3, with a portion thereof disposed in close, preferably sliding, relation to the rear side of the month strip. The portion of the year strip that hangs below the sprockets 53 is supported and guided by the upper surface of the month strip guide plate 59. With this construction, it will be observed that the year strip can be moved to locate the inscriptions 58 and 69 selectively in proper juxtaposition to the window 9 and a selected inscription 36 on the month strip, by simple manual rotation of the fingerpiece 10 in the proper direction.

It will be observed that the shaft G4 has the dual function of supporting the sprockets B3 and of connecting and holding the two operating shafts 43 and 68 against tilting out of proper coi axial alinement.

The shaft 43 is held against longitudinal displacement from the housing by the arm 42 and its lugs 54 engage the flange 49 of the guide element 48, while the shaft 68 may be held against longitudinal displacement from the housing by a spring 'l2 secured on the corresponding end wall 3 and yieldingly held in a groove 13 in the shaft.

It may be desirable to positively connect the two sprockets 63 together so that they may be handled as a unit for slipping them onto and offV the shaft 54, and for this purpose I may utilize combined tie and spacer bars 14, and the shaft may be polygonal in cross-section to slidably fit correspondingly shaped holes in the sprockets.

In operation of the calendar or date finder, assuming it is desired to ascertain what day of the week Christmas, i. e. December th, falls on in the year 1951, the year strip knob 19 lirst will be rotated to display the year indication 58 for the year "1951 through the window -above the day strip B, after which the month strip knob 44 will be rotated to expose the indication 36 on the month strip representing the month The day of the Week upon which the first day of the month will fall in the year 1951 will then be visible through the aperture 59 above the day Strip B and to the left of kthe iii) ,month indication Decemberffv Then the vmonth table finger-piece 24 should be operated to move the month table so that the inscription 34 representing the first day of the month will be disposed in vertical alinement with the indication on the day vstrip that corresponds to the day represented by the symbol that is visible through the aperture 59 juxtaposed to the name of the month December. Thus, the numeral 25 on the month table is disposed in vertical alinement with the Tuesday indication 35 on the day strip B, and therefore it appears that Christmas of 1951 will fall on Tuesday.- Y

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that I have illustrated and described the now preferred embodiment of the invention, but that many modifications and changes may be made in the details of construction of the calendar or date finder within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A calendar comprising a housing having a rectangular window, a day of the Week strip in spaced relation to the upper edge of said window and having horizontally spaced characters representing the names of the days of the week, a month table having vertical columns of numerals representing the days of the month and spaced horizontally correspondingly to said characters on the day of the week strip and visible through said Window below said day strip, means for moving said month table horizontally across said window, a month strip behind said month table and said d-ay of the week strip and carrying the names of the months which are arranged in vertically spaced relation and are individually visible through said window in the space between the upper edge of the wind-ow and said day of 2 the Week strip,means for moving said month strip vertically across said space, a year strip arranged behind said month strip and having indicia representing the years arranged consecutively in vertically spaced relation thereon and visible individually through said window in said space above said day of the Week strip and beyond one edge of said month strip, said year strip also having symbols representing the names of the rst days of the months of the respective years arranged in horizontal rows in alinement With said indicia` respectively, and means for moving said year strip vertically, said month strip also having an aperture in horizontal alinement with each month name to expose the one of said symbols that represents the name of the first day of the corresponding month of the year corresponding to the same horizontal row of symbols.

2. A calendar as dened in claim l, wherein said housing hasa horizontal slot and said means for moving said month table comprises a holder connected to said month table and having a finger-piece projecting outwardly of the housing through said slot whereby upon horizontal movement of said finger-piece said month table will be moved horizontally across said window.

3. A calendar as defined in claim 2, wherein said month table is flexible and with the addition ofV a front guide secured in said housing -having a plate portion in spaced opposed relation to said window around the ends of which said month table is iiexed, and a rear guide sekcured in said housing having arms slidably engaged by the end portions of said month table.

f1., fly-,calendar as `defined in claim 1, wherein ifs-sagesse 1 y K K @said :means .for mov-ing said montnrstripjcom- "prises: a shaft ,giou-rnaied `von -'a-horizontal l. aXislin v which the other end of said month strip-'is slidable `6,-A calendar as `defined in claim 4,'wherein said arm slidably engagesV one o'f'said-guide 1131ements and is iguided thereby.

7. A calendar as dennedin 'claim '1, wherein `said year *strip has atleast one'i'ow of longitudinal perforations, and wherein :said means-for moving said Ayear strip comprises a 'shaftjournaled inf'said housing on a hori'zontal'axis and a sprocket mounted on said shaft and'having `its teeth cooperatively Vengaging'saiol perforations in the year strip.

8. A calendar as dened in claim 7, with the addition of a spacer guide in said housing overlying a portion of saidyear stripinjuxtaposition to said-sprocket for preventing disengagement of the year strip from the sprocket.

9. A calendar comprising -a housing having'a rectangular Window, a 'day-of the week strip in spaced relation to the upper edge ofsaid Window and having horizontally spaced characters representing the names of 'the days of the -Week, a month table having vertical columns of numerals representing the days of the month Vand spaced horizontally correspondingly to VVsaid characters on the day of the week kstrip 'and visible through said Window below said day lof the week strip, means for moving said month table horizontally across said Window, amonth strip behind said month table and said :day of the week strip and carrying the names of 'the months which are arranged in vertically spaced relation and are individually visible through said window in the space between the upper edge of the Window and said vday of `theweek strip, a'year strip arranged behind said month strip and having indicia 'representingthe years arranged consecutively 'in vertically spaced relation thereon and visible individually through said window in said space above said day of the. Week strip and beyond one edge of said month strip, said year Ystrip `also havingfsymbols representing the names of theflrst days ofthe Vmonths of the respective years larranged. in horizontal 'rows in alin'ement with said indicia respectively, means for moving said month strip vertically comprising a stub shaft journaled in said housing to rotate about a vertical axis and having a recess at its inner end and -afinger-piece at its outer Vendfan arm on said shaftY having one end 'connected to oneend portion 'of the month' strip, *means for-vertically moving said year'strip 'comprising a stub shaft journaled in said housing fin Vvcoaxial Arelation Vto lthe first-'mentioned stub sha'ft'andhaving a socket in its inner Iend 'and `va finger-'piece at its outer end, a rod iitted 'in said socket in the second-mentioned stub shaft to rotate with said stub shaft and having its other end relatively rotatably mounted Von said socket 'ci the inst-mentioned 'stub shaft, and Vmeans rotatable by said second-mentioned stub shaft and operatively connected to said year strip to vertically move said year'strip unen rotation of said second-'mentioned 'stub shaft.

-i'0. A-calendar as fdened in claim 9, wherein the lastementioned `means .comprises sprockets -mounted on and to rotate with saidrod, fand wherein said year strip has longitudinal rows fof perfor-ations to 4be engaged 'by the teeth of `4said sprockets.

l1. In a calendar, a housing having a window in'its front wall, r-a nexible 'month table in said housing and viewable through said Window, :and means for mounting and horizontally movingsaid month table comprising va front guide secured in said housing and'havi'ng a 'plate portion in spaced opposed relation to said window between which V'and said window said month table is arranged,

theencl portions of said month table being exed rearwardly around the ends of said front guide, a rear guide fastened in -said housing and rhaving opposed arms eachfin spaced relation to theends of said front guide and alon'g'each of 'whichone end portion of said month table is SIidabIe, and a nnger-`piece 'connected to said month table,A said front Wall of the housing having a horizontal slot through which said finger-'piece projects.

12. In a'calendana housing having a Window in its front wall, a month strip movable vertically in said housing and viewable through said Window, and means for mounting and moving-said month strip comprising a shaft journaledcn a horizontal axis in said housing and having an arm, means connecting said arm to the lower end portion of said strip so that uponrotation of said Yarm said strip Will be pulled longitudinally, two vertically Vspaced guide elements mounted in said housing with said end'portion of said month strip slidable betweenvthem, vthe upper end portion of said strip extending upwardly, and a guide member in said housing 'over which said upper end portion of said month strip is sldable.

13. In a calendar as defined 'in claim 12, one of said guide eements has an upstanding flange 'formed with an upper arcuately concave edge concentric with said shaft, 'and said arm vhas spaced `guide fingers slidably engaging opposite sides of said flange iorguiding the arm.

14. In a calendar, Y'a housing having a window A`in a Wall thereof, an endless year band in said i housing. and viewable through said' Windowfand means for mounting and moving said year band 'vertically across s'aidwindovv "comprising a shaft 'journaled on a horizontal axis in said housing,

, a Vpair of toothed wheels thereonl engaging said and beneath and over Which said year band slides,

and a guide member above Asaid year bandy 'and said toothed wheels and holdingzsaid `year band in engagement with said toothed Wheels.

WILLIAM LANG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the nie of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 909,290 Hall Jan. 12, 1909 1,541,162 vBowman June 9,1925 1;749562 Carrol Mar. 4, 193.0 1,890,117 Jeffreys Dec. 6, 1932 H1,921,451 Brenner .Aug 8, y1933 

